Stocking and the like and method of finishing the same



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STOCKING AND THE LIKE AND METI'IOD OF FINISHING THE SAME Filed Jan. 21. 1922 Fltil- I316: JZ

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Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CEDRIC STUART MOMASTER, OF WOODSTOCK, OANADA, AssIGNoR, BY MESNE AssIGN- MENTS, T0 soorr AND WILLIAMS, INQ, or NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

STOCKING AND THE LIKE AND METHOD OF EINISHIN G THE Application filed January 21, 1922. Serial No. 530,792.

My invention relates to the finish of stockings and the like having integral reinforced portions orgussets.

In knitting seamless hosiery upon circular knitting machines, an auxiliary or splicing yarn is introduced with the main yarnat certain stages of the knitting, to reinforce portions of the structures, for example, the sole of the foot, or the back of the ankle (ordinarily termed the high heel). Since such reinforcements extend only partially about the knitted tube, the auxiliary or splicing yarn is floated between the points at which it is introduced and withdrawn-from the knitting needles. The floated strands of said splicing yarn are subsequently cut away, thus leaving at the inside of the stocking a succession of loose ends, which project from the edges of the reinforced portions. The

. loose ends work through the fabric and project on the outside ofthe stocking and give it an extremely unsightly appearance. The presence of such loose ends on the inside is also unsightly in fine gauge stockings where they are plainly visible from the exterior as matted, jagged, irregular, indefinite lines about the reinforcements. Moreover, the loose ends of the reinforcing yarn are apt to be pulled out in the course of dyeing, bleaching'or washing operations with the result that the appearance of the finished stocking is still further marred.

The main purpose of my invention is to overcome the objections pointed out. and one way in which this may be practically accomplished together with various advantages resulting from the same is made manifest in the detailed explanation which follows.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a perspective view, more or less diagrammatically represented of a seamless stocking of the type capable of being attractively finished by my improved method.

Fig. II is across sectional View through the ankle of the stocking structure as produced by the knitting machine with the splicin' yarn shown as floated beyond the edge of the reinforcedhigh heel.

Fig. III is a view similar to Fig. II with the floated strands of the splicing yarn cut away.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. III showing the manner in which I tuck or cruise the fabric inwardly along the edges of the reinforcement, and also how I bind the creases at the inside of the structure to produce lines of demarcation at these regions.

Fig. V is a perspective view of the stocking showing the high heel after finishing and Fig. VI is a perspective view of a stocking showing the finishing as extended to include the edges of the reinforcement of the sole of the foot.

The stocking shown in Fig. I is of well known form, and can readily be produced as a seamless structure on a circular knitting machine. It is shown as having a reinforced sole 1, toe 2, heel 3, and, in addition, a high heel reinforcement 4 tapering up Wardly along the ankle, as indicated by the inclined dotted lines 55 to a point 6 in what may,

for convenience, be termed the median line at the back of the structure. Such reinforcing is ordinarily accomplished by interknitting an auxiliary or splicing yarn withthe main body yarn at those regions wnere strengthening or thickening is desired, and when done on a circular knitting machine results in floated strands of the auxiliary or splicing yarn which appear at the back 'of the fabric or on the inside of the knitted tube. This condition is clearly shown diagrammatically in Fig. II wherein the auxiliary or splicing yarn A is interknit with the main or body yarn M as indicated by the heavy line at 4, and, within the tube, floated between the points P-P which, in Fig. I, fall on the lines 55. After the stockingis removed from the machine, the floated strands of .the auxiliary or splicing yarn are cut away, thereby leaving a succession of loose ends E-E, see Fig. III, which, when the stocking is worn, are plainly visible as an irregularly defined tangled mass which mars, what might in all other respects be a perfect fabric.

In order to enhance the attractiveness, and hence the salability of the stockings, I finish them by creasing the fabric inward slightly along the edges or border lines 55 of the hi h heel reinforcement 4 as shown at -C in Fig. IV, and then sew the creases at the inside of the fabric as represented conventionally at S-S in the same illustration, and incidentally bind the loose ends of auxiliary or splicing yarn; in the false scam. thus produced. The stocking there after appears as illustrated in Fig. V, with the loose ends of the splicing yarns sewed and bound down and the edges of the rein forcement well and distinctly marked as at 77, eliminating the unsightly mats on the inside of the fabric and the loose ends which otherwise project on the outside of the fabric. If desired, the creasin and binding may be extended to include t e terminal or boundary lines of the sole reinforcement. 1 as suggested at 8 in Fig. VI.

The stockings finished in accordance with the foregoing are subsequently bleached or dyed and finally hot pressed to the desired shape for marketing after approved standard procedure and practice.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A method of finishing stockings and the like having integral reinforced portions or gussets which consists in creasing the fabric along the edges of such reinforced portions or gussets and binding the creases by sewing to produce ornamental lines of demarcation for better distinguishment of the reinforcements. v

2. A method of finishing stockings and the like having integral reinforced portions or gussets which consists in creasing the fabric inwardly from its face side along the edges of such reinforcements and blnding the creases at the reverse side of the fabric to produce ornamental lines of demarcation for better distinguishment of the reinforcements.

3. A method of finishing stockings having integral, interknit-ted reinforced portions extending upwardly from the heels along the ankles at the backs of the stocking structures which consists in creasing the fabric inwardly from its face side along the edges of such reinforcements and binding the creases at the reverse side of the fabric for thepurposes of anchoring the free ends of the splicing yarn, and at the same time producing ornamental lines of demarcation for better distinguishment of the reinforcements.

4. An article of manufacture, a stockin having a knitted body fabric and integral reinforced portions, said fabric being creased along the edges of said reinforced portions and stitches binding the creases.

5. An article of manufacture, a stockin having a knitted body fabric and integral reinforced portions, said portions being creased along the edges thereof and stitches binding the creases.

6. An article of manufacture, a stocking having a knitted body fabric and integral reinforced portions, and creases along the line of junction between the body fabric and said portions, and stitches binding the creases.

7. An article of manufacture, a stocking having a knitted fabric, and integral reinforced portions embodying an inter-knitted reinforcing thread with cut loose ends on the inside of the fabric, and creases folded inwardly from the outside along the junction of the body fabric and the reinforced portions,-and stitches binding the creases on the inside, and anchoring said loose ends and providing lines of demarcation between the reinforced portions and the balance of the fabric.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at W00dstock,"Ontario, Canada, this .tenth day of January, 1922.

015131110 STUART McMASTER. 

